Container for displaying merchandise



1933. R. RHODES, JR

CONTAINER FOR DISPLAYING MERCHANDISE Filed Sept. 17, 1930 Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] '7 RUSSELL I. RHODES, JR., OF NORTH ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE MASON BOX COMPANY, OF ATTLEBORO FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS CONTAINER FOR DISPLAYING MERCHANDISE Application filed September 17, 1930. Serial No. 482,491.

Th s invention relates to containers for'the reception and display of articles of merchandise such as silverware, jewelry or the like, and the principal object of the invention is to provide an attractive container comprising a base section and a cover section hinged to the base in such a manner that the cover may be employed alternatively to enclose the merchandise within the container or to support the base in position for the exhibition of the merchandise mounted thereon. Other objects reside in the features of structure and arrangement of the box elements hereinafter described and pointed out in the appended claims. r 3

Recommended embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanvina' drawing, in which: i

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a closed container constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, illustrating one mode of supporting the base section for the purpose of displaying the merchandise; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section 7 showing another mode of supporting the base section of Figs. 1 and 2. I

In the particular embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration in Figs. 1 to 3, the container is substantially rectangular in shape and comprises a relatively shallow base or bottom section 11, a relatively deep top or cover section 12, and hinge or connector 13 pivotally connected at 14: to the end of the bottom 11 and, at 15, to the end of the top 12. The box sections or compartments may be made of cardboard or other suitable sheet material and covered with decorative paper or fabric, and the hinge member may also be constructed of cardboard or other suitably rigid material and may have a covering of paper or the like which includes side portions extending beyond the opposite sides of the connector 13 and providing the flexible joints, as best shown in Fig. 3.

In this form of my invention and as clearly indicated in Fig. 3, the connector or web 13 constitutes a single sheet of cardboard, and has a folded paper covering 16 cemented to its opposite sides. The doubled end of the covering encloses a narrow cardboard strip 17 which is spaced from the web 13 at the hinge joint 15, and this reinforced side of the hinge member is adhesively united or other wise fastened at 18to the inner face of the end wall 19 of cover 12, adjacent the top portion 20thereof, so that the'hinge 15 extends transversely of the cover at the inner corner thereof. The opposite ends of the folded covering 16 are preferably cemented together and to the outer side ofv the bottom portion 21 of the base section, as shown at 22, so that the flexible hinge 14 extends along the outer corner of the base 11.

It is thus apparentthat the two interconnected box sections may be swung relatively to each other along the pivotal lines 14 and 15, so that the cover may be closed upon the base section, as shown in Fig. 1, or swung outwardly to support the base for the display of merchandise mounted thereon, as indicated in Figs. 2 or 3. V In F i 2 the cover is partially inverted, and t e base, which projects outwardly therefrom is supported upon a table or show case at its outer end and by the web 13 at its inner end, with the bottom of the base section abutting the edge of the cover, wall 19. The weight of the merchandise on the base will prevent collapse or tilting of the box when so arranged. Ifdesired, however, the box cover may be completely inverted t0 'supportthe base atan attractive angle for appropriate exhibition of the merchandise, as illustrated in 1*ig.-3, the vbottom 21 resting upon the wall 19 as aforesaid.

The type of box above described is particularly adapted for holding and displaying a set of salt and pepper shakers, as indicated in'Fig..1, and for this purpose the base" section may have a suitable frame 23, which may be enveloped by a silk covering or the like, for displaying the articles in an attractive setting. It will be obvious however that the container may be used for a variety of articles,'and that the precise nature of the merchandise or the particular mode of mounting the same in the bottom or base section 11 is not essential to this invention.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a simple and economical container for alternatively enclosing or exhibiting for display one or more articles of merchandise mounted upon one section, herein referred to as the base or bottom section, the other section serving alternatively as a clos strict this invention to any particular disposition of the respectivesections. The section-on which the contents of the container is mounted may obviously'constitute the top or cover (in case the merchandise is secured against displacement) when the closed container is inverted; and I have used the terms top and bottom or cover and base in some of the appended claims quite irrespective of the geographical location of the parts recited.

A particular feature of this invention resides in the provision of a container having rectangularsections (as distinguished from the triangular box shown in my copending application, Serial No. 420,345, now United tates Patent No. 1,817,766, granted August 1, 1931) angul-arly movable relative to each other and having a hinge member which lies substantially flatwise against the inner surface of one or more walls of the container when the sections are in closed position, so

only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: r

1. A container of the class described comprising rectangular top and bottom sections angularly movable relative to each other from closed position to display position, and means pivotally interconnecting the sections, said means comprising a hinge member pivoted to the outer surface of the bottom at a lower corner thereof and to the inner surface of the top section, and movable angularly within the top section upon relative movement of the sections, and the movable portion of the hinge member lying close to the inner surface of the top section when the container is closed, thereby affording ample space for reception of an article mounted upon the bottom section.

2. A container of the class described comprising top and bottom sections angularly movable relative to each other, each section having side and end walls defining interior compartments of appreciable depth, and means pivotally interconnecting the sections so thatthey may be closed together .with the compartments facing each other or opened to display an article mounted in the compartment of one section, said section being supported by the other section in the display position thereof, said means including a hinge member attached to the exterior of one section at abottom cornerthereof and to the interior of the other section at one end thereof and movable angularly within the compartment of the last-named section upon movement of the sections.

3. A container ofthe class described comprising top andbottom sections angularly movable relative to each other from closed position to display position, and means pivotally interconnecting the sections so that they may be closed together with the sections facing each other or opened to display an'article mounted upon the bottom section, said means comprising a hinge member pivoted to the base of the bottom section at one end thereof and to an interior corner of the top section, said hinge member lying close to one end of the container when the sections are closed and being disposed against the inner surface of the top member when the sections are in display position so that the top section rests at an angle to the bottom section. V

Signed by me at North Attleboro, Mass, this 11th day of Sept. 1930.

RUSSELL I. RHODES, JR. 

